Crossroads
by Natsuko Miyaharu
Summary: Black Organization has been swept away. Conan and Haibara back to their original body. But something happens unexpectedly. Gin, who supposed to be under-arrested at FBI's HQ, suddenly roams in Beika City and after Haibara's life!
1. Nightmares

**CROSSROADS**

**Author's note:** Hello! I come back again with my third story, after the previous 'Truth or Dare' and 'The Vacation'! Still about Haibara, now I'm not going to pair her up with Shinchi. But instead, I will make two points of view of them. So, how's the story look like? Find out yourself! :D

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Detective Conan, I just own the plot and additional characters.

**Rating:** 15+

**Characters:** Miyano Shiho/Haibara Ai, Kudou Shinichi, Gin, Mouri Ran, Suzuki Sonoko, Masumi Sera, Professor Agasa, Jodie Starling, Andrea Camel

**Additional Characters: **Kanagawa Misugi, Misaki Ryouhei, and Kotaro Ando.

**Genre:** Friendship, romance, suspense

**Summary:** Black Organization has been swept away. Conan and Haibara back to their original body. But something happens unexpectedly. Gin, who supposed to be under-arrested at FBI's HQ, suddenly roams in Beika City and after Haibara's life! How does she manage to escape from him? Why Gin is so eager on chasing her? What kind of relationship do they have in the past? Find out and enjoy your reading! ^_^

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 1<strong>

**Haibara's POV**

**Nightmares**

_ Powdered white snows fell down from the dim black sky as if coloring the darkness with pure white color. The coldness was more than enough to chill everyone to the bones. The road had been emptied from the usual hubbub since the hour hand pointed to two o'clock in the morning. _

_ This asphalt road was all covered by a-fifteen-inch ice layer. A quite something snowstorm hit the city having the lowest temperature compared to other region of the country. Footsteps left their obvious marks on that snowy road and turned it into red – blood red color. A reddish-brown-haired woman in her late teen painstakingly hobbled, holding her wounded left arm. _

_ "You can never runaway from me... Sherry..." a cold emotionless voice suddenly be heard. A man in his thirty stood up right behind her, wearing a dense black cloak, pointing out his riffle towards her. It was only about ten meters they were separated in the heavy snowfall._

_ The woman called Sherry quivered in abnormal fear. Her lips turned pale as well as her white cheeks. She had no option left but to die in this coldness. Breathing hardly with her utmost strength wishing she could vanish somewhere in the world where she belonged. _

_ "I will make our farewell very beautifully. You have my words," he said again, smirking wickedly. Those two cold eyes looked like could kill anybody just by staring at it. Riffle ready, he eagerly pulled the trigger. "Goodbye, my dearest... wait for me in the afterlife,"_

_ Bullet slid from the barrel of the riffle, went straight to that woman's heart from the back along with the desperately painful roar of her._

_ "AAAAARRRGGGHHHH..."_

**===()()()===**

"Ai-kun, Ai-kun..."

That cold voice suddenly turned into a gentle one, shaking her slowly to wake her up. She tentatively opened eyes and tried to accustom them with a sudden light.

"_Hakase_?" she goggled in disbelief. What she saw before her eyes was an old-white-bearded man wearing a white lab coat. It was completely different with the man in black before.

"Are you alright? It looks like you're having a nightmare," he said worriedly unsure.

"Guess so..." Haibara sighed. She put her hand on the chest and still felt that her heart's beating. Her breath was still panting as if a hundred coils of rope twisted on it. Yeah, dream... that was just a dream. She was alive now without any wound in her right arm nor bullet nested on her heart. There was no snow, no coldness, no riffle, no blood, and... no Gin.

She suddenly gasped. The Black Organization actually had fallen six months ago and some of its members including Gin had been arrested by FBI and stayed in the dungeon while some died in battlefield, including Vermouth and their boss. Gin should have been arrested by the FBI, but why she abruptly had a bad feeling of that.

"_Gin escapes_..." she murmured unclear with a very low tone, even professor could not hear her clearly.

"What's wrong Ai-kun? Are you not feeling well?" Professor Agasa still glared at her perplexedly anxious. "You look so pale. Let's see the doctor, I'll tell Shinichi-kun to convey your absent to your homeroom."

"No, I'm fine, Hakase. Perfectly. I've just had a very dreadful nightmare."

She woke from the bed and stepped into the bathroom. Looking at the mirror, she found a pale-reddish-brown hair woman with thin-face glared her back. Until this time she did not even believe that she was actually had come back to her original body, an-eighteen-year-old lady.

**===()()()===**

_**Six months ago...**_

FBI successfully defeated their most wanted foe which no other than the Black Organization. Even some of them died in duty, but they did not die in vain because the boss of the organization was also defeated and died in misery. Vermouth died as well while protecting Shinichi without no one knowing the reason. James Black died and left a very deep condolence in the other FBI member's heart.

Haibara eventually found the formulation of toxin she made from the data stored in organization's computer. Not until a month, she succeed in making the antidote. Immediately giving it to Shinichi, she initially refused to drink it as well because she intended to stay as a child forever, leaving all burden she bore.

"Seriously? You won't drink this antidote?" Shinichi – still in Conan form – reassured and tried to change her insane decision.

"You still have a very vast future, you have someone who waits for your return, and you have family to care for, while I'm not. So there's no excuse for me taking that antidote." she said cynically cold. "Besides... living as Haibara Ai will be more convenient to me..."

"Stupid! When will you stop running away from your fate?" he increased the tone a bit, feeling so irritated with her words.

She was silent. Turning her face away from the intense eyes glaring at her. "It is my life, it's mine to choose and it has nothing to do with you."

He took a long sigh and put his two hands onto her shoulder. "Look at me, Haibara."

She neglected his command at the first seconds but then obeyed it. "What? Trying to change my decision? You'll just waste your time, Kudou-kun."

"How old are you?"

"W-what?" his odd question made her frowned in mystify. "I thought you have known already..."

"Eighteen, isn't? That was not too old to be a last year high-schooler."

"W-w-what?" she was in a big surprise. "Beats me! I have graduated from my college then I should become a high-schooler? What a hilarious joke!"

"_Anona_... you never felt the excitement of being a Japanese high schooler, did you? Why not give it a try? That way, you won't be alone anymore and don't need to pretend as a first grader all over again."

Soon as she wanted to speak a word, he interrupted. "School begins this fall. We will be in the same grader and even in the same class!"

"Why should I listen to your very 'sane' suggestion?" she mocked in sarcastic voice while getting rid of his hands from hers.

"We don't have to tell to everyone about your identity. I don't intend to tell Ran nor anybody either about Conan who is actually the shrunken version of me."

"W-wait..." she tried to speak, but again he cut her out.

"You will be a daughter of my mom's acquaintance at New York. I think that won't be a problem since you're actually a half."

"_Mou ii_, Kudou-kun!" she said sharply. "Done with your imagination?"

"I'm not babbling nor imagining. I'm just giving you the best resolve."

"Best resolve? Thank you very much but I think I will go on my my decision. I don't see any good thing of returning to my original body, so..."

She woke from her seat and took a bottle of cold water from the fridge then poured it on the glass and drank it till run out.

"What's the good thing of staying as a-seven-year-old child?" he pressed the TV's power on and watched any random channel without turning his face away to her.

"When you were younger, you didn't have to worry about anything. Everything goes very easily without fear of something."

"Yes, only if you were really a child. But you're ten years away from being a child. What should you worry? Organization has been swept away and you can live normally from now on,"

She knew he was trying to make an attempt to convince her even it was not a simple thing to do considering the fact that she was one of the type of those stubborn persons. But somehow he could always work it out.

She said nothing, deep in thought. Trying to deny all possibilities that forced her to come back to the original body.

"Don't runaway, Haibara... you have a life to live it well. You have no reason of living in fear, no more," a gently voice of him was enough to make her flabbergasted, but she kept her face emotionless.

"Just drink the pill. Come to her immediately and tell the whole story," she handed the pill to him. He received it in no time with such happy-but-hesitate face.

"I won't."

"Eh?" now it was her who's in perplexity.

"I won't tell her what was going on. I will come back as if nothing happens."

"Then, what happens with the sudden missing of Edogawa Conan?"

"Conan's grandpa is suffered from the illness. He has to come back to LA and continue to study there. My mom picks him up in hurry so there's even no farewell. I think I'm gonna make up the story as natural as it sounds."

"Like she would believe you."

"You will come along with me to her in Miyano Shiho form. You will be a daughter of my mom's best friend. In other word, you are an exchange of Edogawa Conan. How's?"

"You said as if I would drink the antidote."

"Yeah, you of course will." He nonchalantly said and ready to go to the bathroom to drink the pill but Haibara stopped him.

"Kudou-kun?"

He looked toward her apathetically. "What?"

"Does it even matter to you whether I return to my original body or not?" her question made him gaped a little. He then smirked slightly.

"You're a great chemist. You should not waste your precious life by staying as a first grader. You can do many things for people's sake in good way, like creating such a sure cure or stuff. You want to be useful for others, don't you?" he smiled convincingly.

She was silent, shutting her mouth tightly. He was right, totally right. But was that all? Was that all of the reason? Truth be told, she wanted him to say something more, something that could make her changed her stubborn will. But it was not even possible.

"I will consider." She sighed unpleasantly. She knew perfectly that he would never stop until he got what he wanted.

His face was brighter indicating that he finally won the game. Haibara was so exasperated and upset to herself of her inability of refusing his every request.

**===()()()===**

So it was a fifth month Haibara lived her life as a last-year high schooler. Even she came back to her original body, she still should keep her identity as a best graduate student of chemical study of her college. It sounded odd but she strangely enjoyed her new life.

As a new beautiful student and a half, she became a very interesting object. She was popular in no time regarding her beauty, cleverness, intelligent, coolness, and her harsh-but-astute style of talking. She was not really good at making friend, but Ran always helped her even Haibara sometimes avoided to get along with her too much. She did not hate her at all indeed, but she was just not used to have such a best friend, except Ayumi whom she considered as her first best female friend.

"Shiho-chan! I heard you rejecting someone again. Why did you do that? No boy interests you? _Mattaku_... many girls envy you, you know?" Sonoko sit on the chair, bringing her dish on a tray. It was a class break, so they she had lunch together with Ran, Haibara – which was now Shiho, and Sera.

"Is that really, Shiho-chan?"

Ran asked, trying to confirm but Haibara only slurped her strawberry smoothie, giving a gesture that she did not interest to the topic at all.

"Then... there are two possibilities why Shiho did not interest to them." Sera said in detective-like style, holding up her thumb and index finger forming V-shape. "First, none of them is her type. Second... she doesn't interest in men!"

"HAA-?" Ran and Sonoko gawked in disbelief.

"But my second deduction seems incorrect. Then the last possibility is... someone who is in your type haven't after you yet. Am I right, Miss Miyano?" she turned her face to the emotionless Haibara which was still showing apathetic expression while Ran and Sonoko were pretty curious of that.

"Possibly." Haibara answered shortly, spooning her green tea pudding.

"Eh, then what kind of boy do you like?" Sonoko insisted impatiently curios.

"Any boys interest you in our class?" Ran added.

Haibara lifted her face then gave a quick smile. "Likely."

"Likely? Then who is it?" Sonoko, in high curiosity, was very eager to know.

Haibara did not immediately answer. She glanced at the face of those three one by one, then smiled meaningfully. "Probably... Kudou-kun."

"W-W-WHAAAAAT?" Sonoko was shocked, she even stood up from their seat while Sera only smiled without saying any single word. Ran was also quite a bit surprised but she just did not overdo it.

"Kidding." Haibara denied it eventually.

"HA-?" those two were gasped bewilderingly.

"Don't worry, Mouri-san. I don't have any interest toward that mystery freak." she clarified it in order to avoid more misunderstandings.

"Geez... it's quite much shocking me." Sonoko said, still in bit surprise. "By the way, your parent and Shinichi's are close to each other right?"

"Yeah. Pretty much." she answered.

"Honestly... the first time Shinichi introduced you to me, I was bit taken aback. I never heard about you before, also not from Shinichi's mom..."

"Ah... you're jealous, Ran-san?" Sera teased her, laughing.

"No, no... I was just astonished." Her cheeks turned to red a little.

"So, your mom is an actress too?" Sera asked.

"Nope. She was a housewife while my dad was a scientist."

"Was?" Sonoko and Ran asked concurrently with forehead frowned.

"Yes. They have died two years ago due to car accident as well as my older sister."

"Oh I'm sorry..."

"It's okay. Soon after they passed away, I had nowhere to go. A very kind Yukiko-san and Yusaku-san asked me to stay with them because their only son was in Japan. I was highly appreciated their kindness but I refused it because I did not want to leave the house which full of mementos about my parent and sister." she tried to make up the story. Not all of them was a lie, some of them were true.

"Kudou-kun sometimes came a visit to his parent's house when he was in a school break and we met several times, so we've known each other much less. However, there's nothing between us. I think I should emphasize it in order to clarify misunderstanding." she continued.

Ran laughed after hearing Haibara's explanation. "Shinichi once told me about it. I believe him and I believe you, too, Shiho-chan."

"Oh thanks. Then I'm relieved." Haibara sighed. She felt bit discomfort of explaining about her relationship with Shinichi. Of course there was nothing between them except the relationship between a drug maker and the victim.

"Oooh... it seems you and Shinichi-kun are dating now..." Sonoko teased Ran that made she blushed.

"_Chigau wa yo_, Sonoko... we're still friends..."

"Oh come on, Ran-chan... no need to be ashamed..." Sera implied, she giggled.

"Didn't Shinichi-kun already confess to you?" Sonoko assured.

"Yeah, but..." Ran was at wit's end. She wished someone would change the conversation topic.

Haibara actualy did not interest to this kind of topic. She glanced at her watch and suddenly stood from her seat. "Ah, the lesson is about to start. Let's go to the class!"

"You're right." Sera looked at her watch as well and walked out of the cafe. Ran and the unsatisfied Sonoko followed them.

They walked hastily downed the corridor towards the classroom along with other students then stepped inside with the teacher had been coming in.

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><p><strong><em>How's about the first chapter? Is it worth reading enough or not? Lol. Anyways, if you're kind of curious about the continuation of the story, feel free to go to the second chapter! ^_^<em>**


	2. Excursion

**Hello! This is the second part of the story! Please enjoy ^^**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 2<strong>

**Haibara's POV**

**Excursion**

Haibara was preparing her camping stuffs and putting them into one backpack. Tomorrow, all last year's students of Teitan High School had to go on excursion in Hakone, about several miles from Mount Fuji, after the hectic one week of final exam at first term She was already getting used to camping thing since she frequently did it with her fellows detective boys. Flashlight, few clothes, band aid, sweater, and such were already in her backpack. She convinced it once more by checking on the must-bring-note, then ready to have a bath.

"Eh? you seem so enthusiastic about tomorrow."

A kind of familiar voice suddenly came from nowhere. Haibara was bit startled and turned her face away to the owner of the voice. Shinichi was sitting on the table she put her backpack on.

"Kudou-kun?" she said confoundedly but then kept her cold expression as if nothing happened. "What took you here?"

"Ever since I returned to my original body, I rarely come a visit here." he took one _senbei_ not too far from he was and snacked it hungrily. "How are you?"

"Just as you see." she replied coldly. "It's not like we didn't meet each other for several years, right? We meet at school, almost everyday so a question like 'how are you' is needless."

He chewed that crunchy rice cracker, grumbled. "You got me wrong. I meant, nice isn't returning to your original body? You will not regret it."

She sighed. "Not bad yet not too good either."

"Geez... what bothers you more? Black organization is no longer exist..." he stepped to the fridge and took a can of soda then sit on the sofa in front of her. Deliberately did he bring it only for himself since Haibara did not drink something endangering her health.

She suddenly remembered of her nightmare that Gin was still alive. She could clearly feel that suffocated feeling whenever she thought about that. "Have they really been defeated? Wholly?"

She murmured, wishing him would not hear. But he could clearly heard it well. "What are you saying? Didn't you look with your two eyes when the boss was killed and Gin was arrested?"

She gulped. Yeah, what he said was all true. She saw the invincible boss was defeated by FBI and entombed along with all victims while the living Gin was brought to the Headquarter of FBI in America to the wait of the death sentence. Those were impossibly wrong, unless he did something tricky like deliberately making someone to impersonate him.

Her sudden pale expression made his detective instinct was curious of. He walked toward her and asked, "What happens?"

She startled and tried hard to hide her anxiety. "Nothing. Not in particular."

"Not if your face stayed expressionless." he said in disbelief. "Was that related to them?"

Haibara sighed. She should know from the very beginning that it was impossible to make a fool on him. She walked to the sofa with him following.

"That's just a dream. Don't mind me." She looked straight at the variety show currently showing on flat wide-screen TV in front of them.

"Tell me. Your dream may be a foresight."

"Since when do you believe in foresight?" she mocked him, smirked. As for detectives, believing that sort of thing was questionable since they always thought of everything logically.

"Tell me anyway." he persisted.

She sighed again heavily. "Gin escapes... in my dream, of course."

He glared at her. He actually looked with his very two eyes when Gin got arrested by the FBI. "Come on... Gin has been arrested. I saw with my own eyes and he's in Ameri-"

"I know that!" she increased her tone a bit. "Didn't I already tell you that it's only a dream?"

He was silent. Waiting for her cooling down the sudden tension.

"But... that seemed so real... I could even feel that unpleasant suffocated feeling..."

He was silent for a moment and then sighed. Drinking his cola again while she only wished he would believe her words.

"Well, forget about Gin or anyone else and enjoy the excursion tomorrow." he did not intend to disregard about her words, but it looked like he should relieve her a bit. "Hey, I heard some rumors that you rejected so many boys crushing on you. Was that true?"

"Eh? Since when you care about those kinds of thing?"

"I even careless, but since Ran always babbled around and couldn't stop asking me why you're doing that, so I'm sort of curious."

"She asked you?" she frowned. "Then your answer?"

"Since when you care about those kinds of thing?" he teased her by precisely copying what she said before. That was surely annoyed her.

"Geez... I'm going to bed. _Oyasumi_." she was ready to step downstairs, walking towards the underground lab.

**===()()()===**

_ A reddish-brown-haired girl in her late teen stepped downstairs to the dim underground room. Two guards in black cloaks with such smile-less and grim faces guarded her rigorously, as if they did not want to lose their prey._

_ So many chemical tubes placed on the special tables very neatly in the room. Even it looked quite bit scary, but there was even any single dust or spider webs existed in it. Someone seemed to look after it very well._

_ "We bring the very talented prodigy of Miyano family, Sir." One of the guards seemed to talk with invisible someone inside this dark room. _

_ "Leave her with me." _

_ A man with cold voice suddenly appeared in front of them. He had a very unfriendly face which could make anybody shivered in fear just to look at him directly._

_ "We're excused, Sir," the guards left. Now it was four of them who still in that moist stuffy room. The air was suffocating. The high unpleasant tension made it even worse._

_ That frightening man walked towards the family whom the guards called a prodigy. He looked intensely at the short haircut girl who turned her face away as if she was more than disgusted just to see a strand of hair of him. He stroked her left cheek passionately, like a buyer checked on the goods he bought. _

_ "Very young and... beautiful," he murmured astonishingly, sniffing the cherry scents of her. "Are you sure want to hand in yourself as an exchange of your parents?"_

_ "Please let go of your hand," she finally opened her mouth and said coldly. "I come here not to count myself in as your mistress."_

_ "Oh, Dear, how dare you say such thing to a person who holds the life of your parents?" he seemed a bit chapfallen. _

_ "Tell me about the job I should accomplish," she was impatient. Trying hard to bear herself not to tear his disgusting face to pieces. Actually, that man was not such a bad-looking guy, even otherwise. But her hatred to him due to the death sentence threatened to her parents was unforgivable. _

_ "Ah, you're so humorless. You even don't want to have fun with me for a while." _

_ That late-teen girl gritted her teeth strongly as he tried to snog her neck so she could sense a scent of champagne from his mouth. He was drunk, no mistake. She immediately covered her neck with her left palm. _

_ "Don't you dare to do something intimate to me." She threatened him with vibrating voice. Deep down in her heart, she was terribly afraid. But she did not want to look as a weak-defenseless woman. _

_ "How sarcastic. If you weren't this beautiful, I would kill your parents in seconds. Just so you know that I actually hate someone who belittles me."_

_ She had no option but silent. Be patience. She tried to withstand her anger. "I apologize."_

_ "I accept your apology," he smiled hideously. _

_ "Would you explain about the job I shall do?" politely said, she wished she could end this ridiculous conversation and went away from this guy afar. _

_ "If you demanded then..." he took the phone and pressed certain number series. It did not take too long to get the answer from the person he was calling."Gin? Could you come to the chemical room now? I have a very delightful dish for you."_

_ She grimaced uneasily. Another ridiculous guy? No, no. Enough with this guy please, she begged herself._

_ Trying to calm herself down, she was surprised by the sound of door knocking. The guy who seemed to be the boss of this organization invited the certain someone out there. A long silver haired man, again with black cloak, entered the room unhesitatingly. _

_ "Welcome, Gin." _

_ The boss smiled wickedly to him whose name was Gin, probably. She had no idea why he named himself with one of liquors brand._

_ "So, this is the one whom you called a prodigy?" he glared at her sharply, without any blink of his eyes, and moved closer to her but still kept his distance anyhow._

_ "I wish people do not exaggerate by putting much hope in her," the boss replied. _

_ Gin saw her intensely, just like a doctor examined his patient very warily. "Isn't she quite bit too young?"_

_ "From the data we gained, she is seventeen years old, having graduated from Harvard University of United States, majoring chemical study as a youngest best graduate student. Fabulous, isn't?"_

_ She felt so exasperated when hearing him mentioned her achievement without any single mistakes. But thanks to her brilliant brain nonetheless, so she could save her parents by convincing them that she could be the most suitable bio-scientist for them._

_ "Remarkable." Gin muttered in astonishment._

_ "Well, I'll leave you with her. Tell her anything about what she ought to do," the Boss was about to leave the room. "Oh, you'd better not to touch him unless you don't mind her bites you."_

_ Gin smiled meaningfully cold. Soon as the boss left, he started to question her. Turning on the lamp, they stood still even there were some wooden chairs available. _

_ "What is your name, sweetie?" he asked assertively, sitting on the empty space of the near table which full of chemical tubes._

_ "Miyano Shiho." _

_ She answered nonchalantly, hands in pocket. She wore brown knitted sweater with beige bellow knee skirt. _

_ "Miyano Shiho... hmm..." he muttered obscurely. "So you manage to help your parents by replacing his position as a scientist? What a lovely daughter."_

_ "I will do everything as you command, but please set my parents free from their sentence," she swallowed her saliva bitterly. Tears filled up her eyes but she tried not to shed any single of them._

_ "That's so kind of you," he walked approaching her who only separated about two meters away then holding her right cheek gently. "Young, beautiful, intelligent... why willingly risking your life for your hopeless parents?"_

_ "I swallowed every words you say very wholeheartedly, but if you speak bad about my parents, then I should not forgive you easily," she glared at him unfriendly._

_ "Oh, my bad," he grinned in displeasure. "Okay, this is a list of works you have to accomplish well."_

_ He gave a sheet of paper to her. She looked at it warily then smiled coldly. "I'll do the job. Set free my parents in return, immediately."_

_ "That's just a piece of cake, my dear," he laughed wickedly. "We will see what you can do on the first place."_

_ "Damn! That's not stated in the agreement!" surprised, she increased a tone. She had been all deceived. As per the agreement, the organization should release her parents soon as she joined._

_ "Tsk tsk... you may have an outstanding brain, but you're so naive," he said annoyingly then gently touched her chin. "How could you assure yourself to buy something you're clueless about whether it would work well or not? Of course you should give it a try, shouldn't you?"_

_ She sighed heavily, feeling so helpless. "How long should I prove myself?"_

_ "Three months are enough. We will grant your request if you're successfully satisfying us, or else... regretfully you will die along with your pathetic parents."_

_ She closed her eyes about a minute then opened it again. She was trapped. But she had no option left to choose. "I concur."_

_ He smiled widely in satisfying. "Thank you very much, Sherry."_

_ "Sherry?" She frowned, mystified._

_ "Your codename, taken from the name of fortified wine made from white grapes." He explained. "It suits you well."_

**===()()()===**

"Shiho-chan, Shiho-chan..."

Someone seemed to call her vaguely. Why Shiho? Wasn't Sherry supposed to be her new ridiculous codename?

"Shiho-chan, Shiho-chan..."

She could feel someone shook her shoulder gently. Carefully opened her eyes, she surprisingly saw a long black haired girl woke her up.

"Mouri-san?" she accustomed her eyes to look at her surrounding and then finally realized that she was in the bus for excursion.

"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly. "You slept unsoundly and talked during the slumber."

"Really?" she startled a bit and tried to reminisce what had happened inside her dream.

"You murmured some words... you mention gin, sherry..." Ran explained.

She gasped. Yeah, she had just dreamed about the first time she entered Black Organization and how she met Gin.

"Gin? Sherry? You dreamed about drinking those wine, huh?" Sera sitting behind her implied.

Haibara turned her face away to that detective girl. "Yeah... much less."

She was unsure such an answer could convince Sera, a person who had sharp mind. But she could careless about her for the time being. What troubled her right now was, why did she dream about Black Organization? Why should she dream about Gin anymore?

**===()()()===**

"Gyaaaah~ it's so refreshing!" Sonoko stretched her arms widely. They finally arrived at the campsite in Hakone after about two hours and half journey from their school.

Haibara concured to what Sonoko said. The air was more than refreshing and the scenery was also magnificent since they could see Mount Fuji right before their eyes. Hakone, located in the mountainous southwestern part of Tokyo, at Kanagawa Prefecture, was noted for its _onsen_ or hot spring resorts. Numerous older and more recent _somma_ craters and other types of peaks could also be found in this area.

She took a deep breath and let air flowed through her nostrils and drawn to the lungs. It's been quite a while she did not enjoy this moment since she returned to her original body. Mountain breeze mingled with very thin sulfur scents appended the distinctive aroma to the onsen. How tranquil.

"Oy, why not helping Ran and the others? They're busily setting up the tent."

Someone made her awoke from the short reverie. "Kudou-kun?"

"Shinichi! Come here and help us please!" Ran shouted to her childhood friend about five meters away from he was now.

"And your girlfriend is calling..." she laughed mockingly and walked to where Ran and the others were. Shinichi followed her from behind, walking briskly and ready to give a hand for someone he knew since he was a little.

"Ran-chan, you're really a very good cooker!" Sera complimented while finishing a plate of curry rice. The sun was about to set, emitting its light-orange fluorescence. Twilight was coming.

"Thank you." Ran blushed a little.

"You'd better not to compliment her, Sera. She will be a big-headed."

Shinichi grinned and laughed away as he ran to the nearby onsen. Ran chased him, grumbling with sort of words to protest him, she ran across the shallow onsen. That was kind of romantic scene of them. Whoever saw those two would unquestionably thought that they were dating already.

"How envious," Sonoko murmured in sigh. "Why don't they just announce their relationship to others? Geez."

"Are they currently dating?" Sera was curious. She took a mineral water then drank it to quench her thirst.

"They should be. Two persons are in love with each other and they know they do, but they haven't dated yet, how do you name it?"

"Maybe Ran-chan just want to treasure the feeling of being confessed by Kudou-kun." Sera said.

"How's your opinion, Shiho-chan?" Sonoko asked to the quite Haibara who was still enjoying her dish.

"Me? Hmm... I go along with Masumi-san."

She replied very shortly. Not to mean she was lazy or something but she was not in a good mood for discussing about two persons who didn't have any courage to confess to each other since years and years ago.

"Sonoko! Sera-san! Shiho-chan! It's very exciting here! Come!"

Ran yelled to those three and beckoned, waving her hand eagerly. She was still at the shallow _onsen_ with Shinichi. Other students seemed to have their own _onsen_ since there were several _onsen_ available to enjoy. Sera and Sonoko hastily went there, but Haibara stood still on the place where she was now.

"You're not going?" Sera asked.

Haibara shook her head. "I'm sort of exhausted. Besides, I want to enjoy the beautiful sunset from this side."

"Okay then. We're going!"

Yeah, now it was only her left alone, in the middle of the twilight at this monotonous area. But she enjoyed her loneliness nevertheless. From distance, she saw her friends played and laughed together there. She also could clearly see how Ran and Shinichi got along very well and even more romantic than before even though Shinichi expressed his care explicitly. However, the time Ran needed his help, such when she slipped off the rock, he seemed to be ready to rescue her anytime.

"I'm so grateful, Kudou-kun, for successfully creating the antidote so I can see you laugh happily with your dearest one."

She murmured quietly without realizing some uneasiness appeared all of sudden. She should be happy, but deep down in her heart, she felt like a sharp knife scratched it into chunks. An unwanted regret unconsciously dropped by.

"If you're happy, then I'm happy as well..."

Wind stroked her face and swayed her short-reddish brown hair. A droplet of warm liquid coming from her eyes was swept away as well.

"Stupid. What am I thinking?"

**===()()()===**

_"What are you thinking, sweetie?"_

_Haibara was startled. A voice whispered to her ears came very closely from behind. Not in seconds she already turned her face away to that sudden someone._

_All she saw was a couple of chilly sharp eyes glaring at her intensely. She tried to accustomed her eyes with the darkness. Only a bar of candle shone that small-but-warm dim room. She finally noticed that a silver haired guy was smiling sharpy to her._

_"Are you crying?" he gently wiped a droplet of tears falling from her navy blue eyes._

_"Nope. It's sweat"_

_She gulped bitterly. She did not want to look so powerless in front of this cold-blooded guy who unexpectedly confessed his love to her three days ago. She had no choice but to reply his feeling because she surely knew something bad would happen to her parents if she let him down._

_"Tears don't fit in you," he did not listen to her denial. Another hand of him reached her cheek as well, very gently but frightening._

_"I'm not crying."_

_There's no warmness in her word at all. She really hated this guy more than anyone else in this world. But she hated herself even more for letting a strange guy controlling her life. Take a hold, it's for my parents' shake― she warned herself._

_"Smile," he put his two palms on her cheeks, trying to make she smiled. "You look beautiful that way."_

_"Thanks."_

_Without giving another single breath to breathe, he suddenly pressed his lips against hers, very firmly, until she could taste a strong cigarette scents in her mouth. His warm tongue glided in between his teeth and mingled with her own. She had no time to surprise and deadly bore her willingness to push him away forcefully._

_She never ever felt so fearful like this before. Dying was one thing she was wishing right now than to stay this way. Pretending to love someone and even letting him stole away something she kept for so long ― such having kiss with someone she never intended to._

_"I love you, Sherry... you're the one I longed for so long..."_

_Gin still passionately snogged her. She could feel his attempt to unbutton her white shirt. No, I have to stop him. I don't want him to go further than this. Gathering the strength remains, she pushed him and kept her distance._

_"Stop it―" she yelled painstakingly. "Don't lay your fingers on me!"_

**===()()()===**

"Haibara, Haibara―"

The cold voice of Gin suddenly changed drastically. It was the voice which used to give her a warmth feeling.

"Haibara!"

Yeah, a protective voice of someone she respected the most. She was very eager to know whose voice belonged to, but she was afraid if those sharp merciless eyes glared at her angrily whenever she opened her eyes.

"How long will you be sleeping here?"

_ That's not Gin's. Yeah, I'm almost sure. Gin never has such a warm voice._ She finally emboldened herself to open her two eyes, very carefully, and found Shinichi stared at her bewilderingly.

"Kudou-kun?" she immediately realized that she was only hallucinating about Gin previously. "What are you doing here?"

"I should be the one who ask," he replied peevishly. "Why are you sleeping here after rejecting the others to play together before?"

She sighed. Her head was aching suddenly. She dreamed about Gin for the number of times on the recent days as if she was forced to remember the bitter memories of her past with him.

"Are you okay?"

She awoke from the reverie with sudden move of Shinichi by putting his palm on her forehead. "It looks like you get a slight fever."

"Really?" she was doubtful and checked on her own after he got rid of his hand. "I guess not."

"What happens?"

She knew he would immediately realized her dismay and it was useless to hide the truth from this great detective.

"Nothing. I'm just a bit tired so I hallucinated while a―"

She was very surprised until she could not finish her words. Shinichi abruptly made a sudden move by placing his forehead on hers.

"_Yappari _it still becomes the best way to check body temperature without thermometer," his face only several inches from her that made she throbbed unexpectedly. "You're seriously feverish."

She could even feel his breath exhaled to her face. Deadly she tried to hide the unwanted throbbing coming from her deepest heart.

"You'd better let go of your forehead on mine before someone coming and mistaking us―"

"Shinichi?"

Too late. Ran and the others came, soon as Haibara finished her words. The surprised Shinichi immediately got rid of himself from Haibara. The other three saw in disbelief. A kind of shock expression marked obviously on Ran's face, and so did Sonoko. No wonder, whoever saw them from distance would instantly mistake it as kissing. Needing she should clarify the misunderstanding, Haibara explained,

"It's not like what you imagine, Mouri-san." she said warily in order not to slip the words. "Kudou-kun thought that I was feverish so he checked my forehead with his. But if it makes you uneasy, then I feel so sorry."

"Yeah, she's right." Shinichi looked bit nervous, but he kept staying calm. "I used to do it to you whenever you're feeling unwell, didn't I?"

"Y-y-yeah of course." Ran finally smiled but everyone knew she hid some sort of uneasiness. "But you should not say an apology to me since we aren't even dating, Shiho-chan."

"Hey, Ran..."

Haibara threw a glance at Shinichi's perplexity. He probably felt so wrong against her. She nodded slightly then smiled, "Whatever your relationship is."

"Then, how about officially announcing your relationship, Ran and Shinichi-kun?" Sonoko teased them , smirking.

"SO-NO-KO!" Ran and Shinichi said accordingly, protesting what Sonoko said before. However, they could not even hide a red tinge drawn on their face.

"Anyway, are you okay, Shiho-chan?" Sera asked while the other three still bickering each other.

"Yeah... just a slight fever, I assume."

"Oy Kudou!"

Three guys who were also their classmates called out and joined them, sitting on the scattered rocks available there. They were Kanagawa Misugi, Misaki Ryouhei, and Kotaro Ando.

"Ah you three..." Kudou secluded himself with Ran and sat near them.

"We're going to take a stroll in the forest now," Misaki pointed his finger on the nearby forest, located only about a hundred meters away from where they were. "Interested to join?"

"We may also play soccer there," Kanagawa chuckled in excitement.

"Sure!" Shinichi agreed very excitedly. "Four of you want to join too?"

"No thanks. Forest in the night is way too scary, isn't?" Ran declined straightforwardly.

"I think it's interesting, Ran-chan." Sera disagreed to her.

"B-b-but... what if there's any ghost?"

"There's no such thing as ghost!" Shinichi and Sera said accordingly, while Haibara only responded with a long sigh.

"W-w-well..." Ran tried to calm them down. There was no way detectives would believe about ghost-thing and the other invisible creatures.

"I'm coming!" Sonoko finally agreed.

"Eh why so sudden? Aren't you kind of afraid with ghost-sort-of-things?" Ran indeed wished Sonoko would turn down the invitation and preferred to stay in the tent with her.

"Er―" she took a glance at Misaki. "There are three guys with us, why should I worry? Moreover, your husband is always ready to help you anytime."

"Shinichi isn't my husband!" she shouted and then realized that she attracted much attention from the others.

"Poor you, Kudou.. your wife doesn't admit you as her spouse." Kotaro teased laughingly.

"_Anona_..." Shinichi was bit sullen while the others but Ran was laughing away.

"Another intention why you suddenly eager to join them, Sonoko?" Ran retaliated her. One reason that could make her change the decision was, there was a guy between those three whom she had a crush to, and he was likely to be Misaki Ryouhei-kun.

"_Be-be-betsuni._" She grinned nervously.

"Then, are you coming too, Ha― Shiho?" Shinichi immediately corrected her words for almost miscalling her.

"I pass." It looked like to be an usual word from her for declining someone's offer which caused unsatisfied responses from others, especially those three guys who kind of adored her.

"Eh why?" they asked accordingly.

"Oh I forgot... Shinichi said that Shiho-chan was feeling unwell." Ran moved near her and put her palm on hers. "_Yappari_... you should have a rest, Shiho-chan."

"I guess..."

"Are you feverish?" Misaki asked. A bit of anxiety appeared in his voice. "That can't be helped... have a rest and wish you get better soon, Miyano-san."

"Thank you, Misaki-kun." She smiled gently which possibly made someone would misinterpret it.

"Hey, hey, trying to impress her, Ryouhei?" Ando protested smilingly. "You have to face me on the first place."

All were laughing, even Sonoko was bit jealous of Misaki's tenderness against Haibara. But she did not want to take seriously and preferred to enjoy the excitement together.

"Then I'm not coming too." Ran made a sudden decision. It's not a surprise since she was not interested to the idea at all. "I will look after Shiho-chan and accompany her."

"Don't worry, Mouri-san. Just go and enjoy. I can take care of myself." Haibara smiled and turned down her nursery.

"B-but..."

"It's okay. Whenever I'm feverish, my mood sometimes turns out to be very horrible. I'm afraid that you'll find me creepier than the ghosts."

"Yeah, she's right, Ran―" Shinichi emphasized what Haibara said which was subsequently given an evil look from her.

"E-eh?" Ran suddenly reconsidered her words. "But is that alright to leave you alone?"

"Very alright."

Haibara convinced Ran tenaciously. Being around with someone when she did not want to was kind of nuisance. She just wanted to be alone now.

"It's okay then," Ran surrendered and seemed to think of something.

"What's the matter Ran?" Shinichi realized the expression change of her face.

"Ah, no... nothing―" she answered unsure. "Shiho-chan reminds me too much of Ai-chan..."

Haibara gasped but still tried to keep her flat expression. "Really? Which side of me that reminds me of her?"

"Your haircut and color, your cold attitude― I didn't mean it bad, but yeah... you really resemble her alot, just like Conan-kun resembles Shinichi."

Shinichi choked on his throat and coughed in panic. "They're still relatives, just like me and that kid."

"Yeah... I somehow miss them..." Ran said tenderly that made both Haibara and Shinichi were taken aback. "They suddenly took a flight to New York without saying a proper goodbye..."

"Well, well, they were in a rush." Shinichi grinned forcefully, trying hard to hide the lies. "But they said they would come a visit to Japan someday."

"_Hontou_?" Ran excited.

"Y-y-yeah, of course."

He was so nervous and almost ran out of words. Haibara gave a don't-promise-anything-to-something-you're-uncertain-about look, sharply, reminding him not to misuse the words. He turned his face away from that demonic glare.

"Well then, let's go all!" Kanagawa shouted eagerly.

"Alright!"

Haibara was about to go to the tent while the others were ready to go wandering at the forest. Ran, Sera, Sonoko went as well after wishing her got better soon.

"Hey, are you sure not coming?" Shinichi whispered. The others already stepped up the front.

"I did tell for the number of times." She replied cynically and came into the tent in seconds, leaving him outside with grumble.

The tent seemed so wide when she was alone. Bringing herself closer to the warm lantern, she laid down, covered herself and curled up in sleeping bag. It was so quite right here with nobody around even she still could hear some people chattering outside. She put a hand on forehead and felt the fever was raising a bit. Her breath was hot and it so unpleasant for her, but she attempted to neglect it as long as she could. Clearing out all unnecessary thoughts from her mind, she closed the eyes slowly.

"_Sherry_..."

She was freezing. A not-unfamiliar voice called her out, very quietly. Immediately she opened her eyes and breathed ponderously, feeling so frightened.

She hallucinated again.

**===()()()===**

"What happens with you all of sudden? _Taku_..."

Shinichi whispered quietly when Haibara suddenly went after them and asked to join as well. It was surely surprising the others and emerging lots of questions. But she just answered with one sentence,

"My fever suddenly descends and... it wasn't such a good thing of staying all alone in tent."

"Like I would believe such reason." Shinichi insisted her to tell what was actually happening, so he deliberately walked beside her on the last row.

"It's up to you whether you would believe it or not," she answered coldly. "But you should keep your distance on mine or your girlfriend will question us again if you prefer to walk beside me instead of her."

"Geez..."

Suddenly she could feel a cold breeze blown and chilled her to the bones. It brought some goosebumps to her. Without everyone knowing, she stepped back about two steps and threw a glance to the surrounding forest.

_ "Sherry..."_

She gasped in disbelief. Sharpening her ears, she held her elbows on the crossed arms tightly. That was Gin's. Undoubtedly.

_ "Sherry... have you forgotten me yet?"_

Again. That thrilling voice was heard over her ears. Now it was even clearer. She threw a glance everywhere she could, looking for the whereabouts of the owner of that voice frighteningly but to no avail. She had no idea whether it was just another hallucination or reality. Sweats dampened her sweater. She froze in quiver and abruptly felt so powerless as if there was no strength on her legs.

_ "Sherry..."_

She was panicky and unconsciously walked toward Shinichi who was only a meter away before her and squeezed his shoulder strongly in fear.

"Oy, what are―" Shinichi was aghast when looking at Haibara's pale face. Her body was all trembling.

"H―h―h―he―"

She tried to say a word but her great shiver made everything that came out from her mouth sounded unclear. She painstakingly took an attempt to say it clearer, taking a very deep breath difficultly. But darkness suddenly embraced her with its coldness. She crumbled down to the ground slowly and powerlessly.

"SHIHOOO―"

**===()()()===**

_She opened her eyes and found a guy sleeping right beside her. He seemed to be shirtless, only a sheet of blanket covered his body. His long silver hair dangled untidily on his face. But what surprising her the most was she shared the same blanket with him, without any single piece of clothe on her. She woke up in disbelief, suddenly felt so angry._

_ "Oh, you wake up?" the guy awoke and realized her sudden movement. _

_ "W―w―what is it?" she trembled in shock, anger fulfilled her heart. She shoved the blanket to cover her unclothed body. "Can you explain in details?"_

_ "Calm down, my dear." he sat beside her, trying to abate her anger. "I did not touch you at all."_

_ "You want me to believe your words while I still clearly remembered that I had clothes on mine completely last night and they're gone somewhere now?" she yelled painfully. _

_ "You got drunk last night. You didn't even remember that you kissed me like crazy. I was just unbuttoning your clothes and tempted to do something on you. But I respected you, I knew you wouldn't be happy if I did that. So finally I just covered the sleeping you with a blanket as you may see it now."_

_ She was shocked. Really shocked. She tried to remember everything she did last night. But the only thing coming across her mind was she felt so frustrated of the organization because she had not received any guarantee that they would free her detained parents. She drank champagne like hell and Gin unexpectedly came to her room. The rest of them that she did not know._

_ A drop of tears fell down onto her cheek. Her throat felt so sore. She did not believe that the organization finally stole everything away from her, even her dignity. _

_ "I'm sorry if I have made you sad. But I swear I wasn't lying. You have my words, Sherry."_

_ He caught that falling down teardrop with his fingertip and immediately pressed his lips against hers, very firmly and gently. She was too weak to refuse. However, that unwanted kiss strangely was able to cool down her wrath slightly._

**===()()()===**

"Shiho-chan.. Shiho-chan..."

A voice of anxiety sounded on her ears. She could also feel someone stroke her brown hair gently. Slowly she opened her eyes and saw seven pairs of eyes looked back at her. Eyes of qualms.

"Shiho-chan... _yokatta_..." Ran, who was laying Haibara's head on her lap, embraced her warmly and gratefully. She sighed in relieve.

"Are you alright, Shiho-chan?" Sera asked, also in worry.

"Umm... I guess..." Haibara tried to remember what was happened beforehand. Firstly she felt a cold breeze blew on her along with the horrible Gin's voice. After that, everything turned into black and she did not feel a thing. It looked like she was collapsed unconsciously. She rolled her eyes and then realized that they were already in tent now.

"Thanks God..." Sonoko sighed gratefully.

"We're worried of you..." Misaki added while the other two responded with nods.

"Thanks." she smiled weakly with her lips whitened. "Sorry for making all of you worry."

"You turned down our offer to have some walks in the forest, but suddenly you were after us and asked to join in no time. Not even five minutes after talking to me, you was collapsed and unconscious. What's with you huh?" Shinichi asked impatiently, his tone increased a bit. That's not the sound of angry person instead of the anxious one.

Haibara was silent. There was no way she could tell the truth to him with everyone around. Besides, it was just hallucination which the truth was still questionable.

"I'm okay, Kudou-kun. So stop worrying me."

"_Anona_..." he grumbled peevishly.

"But Shinichi-kun's anxiety was plausible, Shiho-chan..." Sera added. "You sweated a lot, your whole body was shivering, and you looked so pale back then... even now you still look that way."

"I suppose those were just some effects of my cold." Haibara answered unconvincingly. But she smiled either way to indicate that she was okay so everyone needed not to worry.

"_Sumimasen_..." someone suddenly came a visit to their tent, followed by some guys behind "I heard that you were feeling unwell, Miyano-san. How are you now?"

"I'm alright, Mizuki-sensei. I'm just bit feverish. But thanks for your visit."

That teacher put a hand on her forehead. "Yeah, you're having cold. You shall have a rest tonight."

"Yes, I will." she smiled. "And thanks everyone for coming along too."

What she aimed was four guys standing behind Mizuki-sensei who smiled back at her in relieve.

"When they heard about you of being collapsed, they were panicky and decided to take a look at you." Mizuki-sensei laughed a bit. "It looks like they are fans of you."

Haibara gave a little laugh and so did the others while some of them teased her. Those guys were the people who once confessed their feeling to her without being reciprocated unfortunately. She never intended to do something mean to them, but she preferred not to involve those guys in her cruel life.

"I think you'd better take some rest as well, Everyone, since you have something to do early in the morning tomorrow!" Mizuki-sensei said.

"What was that, sensei?" Shinichi asked nonchalantly as if he knew nothing about what they should do during the camping.

"_Mattaku_, Shinichi..." Ran scorned. "Didn't you get a sheet of paper contained our activities during this excursion?"

"Eh, did I?"

"Geez... I suppose you put it somewhere in your house. Yeah, that's why we're divided into groups. Each group has to perform a show – whatever it is, such singing, dancing, reading some poems, or roleplaying in a drama."

"Do you guys know about this?" Shinichi asked to Kanagawa, Misaki, and Kotaro who were still there as well. They were actually in the same group.

"I'm doubtful I know such thing..." Misaki said unsure.

"Neither do I." Kotaro added cluelessly.

"I guess I read it, but I completely forget about that now." Kanagawa laughed.

"Sheesh. Boys are never interested to this sort of thing." Sera sighed understandably.

"I don't care either about your preparation. But you must be ready when the time comes." Mizuki-sensei concluded. "Ja, minna, go back to your tent. I will wake you up at three."

"_Haaaai_―"

**===()()()===**

"What are we going to do, Ran? We haven't decided anything yet to perform, have we?" Sonoko asked after everyone's gone. Now it was only four of them who stayed in tent.

"Since Shiho-chan will not come along, performing a drama is impossible." Ran murmured.

"I'm sorry I can't participate." Haibara apologized.

"_Ii n desu_." Ran and the other two said accordingly.

"Should we sing?" Ran suggested.

"No. I dislike dancing as well." Sera declined straightforwardly. "What if we perform martial arts since you're really good at karate?"

"Yeah, Ran will do karate, and you Jeet Kune Do. Then what about me?" Sonoko grumbled.

"You're right..."

"The last option is reading poems." Haibara implied. "Suzuki-san and Masumi-san will read poems one after another, then Mouri-san will sing at the end of our show."

"I read poems?" Sera's face indicated the awfulness.

"You'd like to sing?" Haibara gave her difficult option to choose.

Sera was silent for a while then, "Okay, I will read the poems."

"Fixed. We're gonna make love poems!" Sonoko was suddenly so excited.

"NO!"

"Okay, okay." Sonoko surrendered. "Hey, Ran, what about you sing a song for Shinichi-kun?"

"EH-?" Ran goggled and blushed at the same time.

"Cool! You'll reply your feeling against him implicitly through the song!" Sera yelled excitedly.

"NO. I'm not fool enough to embarrass myself in front of many people by doing such idiot thing." Ran sharply declined that idea.

"Oy, Ran. That will be the most romantic confession ever!" Sonoko still insisted.

"I decline!"

"You don't have to say it obviously, Ran-chan. Boys are stupid if it comes to deduce woman's feeling. That's why we're going to see how Kudou-kun will react after hearing your implicit confession." Sera said.

"_Anone_..." Ran still tried to evade.

"I think that's a good idea, Mouri-san." Haibara concured. "May I sleep earlier? The medicine starts to show its effects. My eyes no longer withstand to open."

"Of course. And you should, Shiho-chan. _Oyasuminasai_."

After assuring that she was the one awoken, Haibara crawled out of her sleeping bag silently. It was one past thirty now. She packed her loads into the backpack then sneaked out of the tent after leaving a sheet of letter near the lantern, where the rests would easily find. She was so grateful when knowing everyone was all sleeping in their own tents. She walked quickly and silently to the forest. Yeah, it's the best way she could do to prevent everyone from danger since she was almost sure that Gin was not far from where she was.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Where did Haibara go? Feel free to read the next chapter! ^^<strong>_


	3. Unexpected Battle

**Gyah, it's the third part, guys! To be noted, this chapter is through Shinichi's point of view! Enjoy ^^**

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER 3<strong>

**Shinichi's POV**

**Unexpected Battle**

"HOAAHH." Shinichi yawned out loud when Mizuki-sensei woke everyone up from tent to tent. "We have to wake up very early in the morning and do something senseless afterward. How troublesome."

"You're right." Misaki yawned as well. But they somehow obliged the sensei to gather around the bonfire outside.

It looked like they were the last group to join. Everyone already in their position, rounding the big bonfire and chitchatting each other. It was not so difficult to find Ran and the others among them since Sonoko waved her hand to them.

"What you're going to perform, Shinichi?" Ran asked when they took their seats.

"You will not sing, won't ya?" Sonoko giggled, mocking him satisfyingly.

"Geez..." Shinichi was exasperated. "We'll demonstrate how to play football well."

"What is that?" Sonoko protested. "There's no sense of art at all."

"_Shou ga nai na_... we're only advance in football." Kotaro implied.

Shinichi felt something odd when he only saw there were only three persons in Ran's group, then he finally realized that someone missing.

"Where is Ha―Shiho?"

"_Mattaku_ Shinichi-kun... I can't stop wondering why do you always call Shiho-chan by Hashiho." Sonoko sighed bewilderingly questioning why he always miscalled Shiho with Hashiho instead.

"Haha." he laughed shortly. He still wasn't getting used to it.

"Shiho-chan suddenly left without us knowing. She only left this letter." Ran gave a sheet of well-written letter to him.

_To: Mouri-san, Masumi-san, and Suzuki-san_

_I have an urgent business to do. Agasa-hakase just informed me that I should go to New York to fix things up for several days. I'll catch an earlier flight this morning. Gratefully my fever has gone so I won't be bothered with that. Good luck for your performance, I will be back to Japan soon._

_Miyano Shiho_

He gasped after reading that non-sense letter. How could she possibly leave all of sudden, telling them that she had something urgent to do abroad? What an obvious lie. He squeezed the letter and uneasiness suddenly covered his heart. He had a bad feeling of this.

He tried to think clearer, interpreting the meaning of her unusual behaviors in the last several days. With eyes closed, he reminisced one by one what she ever said to him.

_ "Gin escapes... in my dream, of course."_

_ Yeah, that's it. I'm sure that's related to her odd stances. _Never happened in his life that he would believe such foresight and the likes, but he made an exception for Haibara's. Her foresight was usually coming true in the end, especially if it's related to the organization.

He then remembered what was happened in the forest when she was suddenly unconscious in quiver. What an abnormal fear. He eventually concluded that Gin was really in the forest. Haibara knew that so she decided to leave in order to impede us of being involved.

"Damn!" he cursed himself for not immediately aware to the situation.

"Shinichi?"

It looked like Ran had called him for many times but he just realized the last one and turned his face to Ran who glared at him bewilderingly.

"What's the matter?" Ran asked again perplexedly.

"Ah, no. Nothing," he lied and hid his anxious expression nervously. "Did she tell you something beforehand?"

"Shiho-chan you meant?"

"Yeah."

"Nope. She just said that she wanted to sleep earlier before us due after wishing us a good luck for the preparation of the performance."

"That's all?"

"Yeah, I guess..."

"Ran, our turn is about to come!" Sonoko interrupted the conversation. "Shinichi-kun, you have to watch us performing..."

He did not pay attention to what Sonoko said instead of sinking in his own thought. Yeah, he was very anxious of Haibara right now.

"Shinichi...?"

Again, Ran woke him up from his reverie. "Yeah?"

"What's wrong? You're bit odd." Ran asked anxiously.

"Nope." he looked at the surrounding. One group from the same class had just finished their show along with the claps sound from the others. They performed el classico Romeo and Juliet drama by Shakespeare.

"Our turn..." Ran took a breath. "Shinichi, wish me luck."

"You're going to perform now?"

Confused. He was not in the mood of watching such performance. There was something he must put more concern to it. Yeah, he should look for Haibara immediately or she might be in danger. But he did not want to hurt his childhood friend's feeling.

"Yeah. You will watch us, won't you?" Ran looked at him with eyes full of hopes.

"Hmm..."

If he complied her request, he would have no time to go looking for Haibara. But could he even careless to the woman he liked?

"Shinichi?"

"Sorry Ran, I have to go." he finally decided.

"Go? Where?" Ran asked confusingly.

"I'll explain later."

Shinichi stood up and ready to leave but Ran impeded him by pulling his right arm.

"Please." Ran begged him with puppy eyes that made him could not stand with that. "I'm going to tell you something after the show."

He gulped. There's no way he could decline those eyes. But Haibara might need his rescue more than her. He remembered the last time Haibara confronted with Gin and Vodka on the rooftop of Haido City Hotel years ago. Gin shot her mercilessly several times and he even almost killed her.

"Sorry Ran." he declined regretfully. "She need a rescue."

Shinichi let go of Ran's hand and tried to take the step but Sonoko blocked his way. "What is it, Shinichi-kun? Whom are you talking about? Ran's going to show you something but you turned it down anyway!"

"Is she Shiho-chan?" Ran frowned and begged more explanation from him. "Doesn't she go to New York? How could you say that she needed a rescue?"

Shinichi could not lie to her but he would not tell the truth right now either. "I promise I'll explain later. Please give an excuse to Mizuki-sensei for my sudden absence."

He ran briskly, getting away from the hustle without paying any attention to Sonoko who yelled at him sullenly. He knew his action might hurt Ran's feeling, but he had no choice. Saving one's life was more important than anything else.

He ran and ran in the dark forest brightened only with the moonlight because it's still four. Turning on the flashlight on his watch, he traced the most possible path passed by Haibara. Wolves roared accordingly and made the situation was even creepier. Cold breeze blew mercilessly as if it was ready to stab anyone to the bones. Shinichi froze in his jacket. It looked like the winter was about to come in few days.

Pointing his flashlight watch to the moist soil, he expected he would find any clue of her whereabouts. But he did not find any, so he yelled desperately.

"_Haibara, where are you_?"

He ran here and there, neglecting how exhausted he was. He put out his cellphone from pocket and pressed certain numbers.

"Hello, Jodie-sensei?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Shinichi haven't found Haibara yet. Where the hell in the world she is? Why did he call Jodie-sensei? Find out in the next chapter! ^^<strong>_


	4. A Paid Debt

_**Please don't be confused, now it's from Haibara's point of view. Enjoy your reading ^^**_

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER 4<strong>

**Haibara's POV**

**A Paid Debt**

A sound of gunshot was suddenly heard along with the saddening scream of a woman. Haibara floundered on the ground, gripping her right upper arm with another hand. Fresh blood flowed through her fingers.

"Finally we meet again, Sherry."

A silver long haired man with a black cloak smiled mercilessly to her, taking few steps to go near his shooting target. He bended on his knees and tried to reach her chin but she immediately deflected it and glared at him with hatred.

"You don't seem to change at all, especially those looks on your eyes when looking at me since we first met."

"And neither do you. You barely change at all especially that wicked smile which make me hate you to the core," she gritted her teeth, trying hard to bear the pain on her arm.

"Oh, so that's your best greeting to your ex-boyfriend after we did not meet for quite a time?" he smiled wickedly. "More than sweet, Sherry."

"Then do you think shooting your-so-called ex-girlfriend is the best greeting from you?" she was really disgusted to this guy.

Again, he tried to reach her face. This time he succeeded because she almost ran out of strength to impede. "I never forget how I really loved this sarcastic face long ago."

She did not answer but kept wishing something would punish him along with his wickedness. She knew he would not release her alive this time. But it would be better if he died as well.

He suddenly pointed out his gun straight to her forehead with his free hand. "I could immediately kill you, but I want you to answer my unanswered question on the rooftop of that Haido City Hotel some time ago. Who is the guy who always protects you from us?"

"Don't waste your time to ask me because I will not answer any single question from you."

PSIUUUW.

"AAARGH―"

Gin shot her left upper arm unhesitatingly. "What a reckless decision of you."

Blood dampened her right yellow sweater's sleeve. She gritted her teeth painfully but Not a single droplet of tears fell down from her eyes nonetheless.

"It looks like you love that guy so much instead of yourself."

Gin pointed his gun on her forehead. She knew this time would finally come. The time when Gin finally found her and tortured her mercilessly before killing her very painfully.

"Kill me now."

There was no more fear in her heart. _Why should I afraid of death? People will actually die in the end right?_

"How brave of you." he smiled coldly. "Any words left to say before you can't say a word anymore?"

She looked at him, gritted her teeth, and clenched her weak fist. She tried hard to take a breath and inhale it into the lungs. "I never forget how I hate you more than anyone else in the world."

Gin smirked. "What a sweet testimonial from you. And do you have something to say to the guy you love? Maybe he could hear you."

"Just kill me. I'm disgusted already with your voice and even your face." she found herself was very hard to breathe.

"Your wish is my command, my dear." he was ready to pull the trigger. "But I have something to say to you beforehand."

She did not answer but closing her eyes. _Isn't dying better than living in fear, Oneechan?_

"I hate you and I love you at the same portions. Goodbye, Sherry."

_ Okaasan, otousan, oneechan... we're gonna meet sooner. Dying is not painful, is it? Kudou-kun, I have paid my debt. Thanks for always protecting me. I wish you happily ever after with your girl. _Yeah, dying would not be so bad. She should have died long ago, but there were always someone who saved her. But it's not going to happen this time.

She felt the soft breeze stroked on her face gently. A chirping and squeaking sound from the nocturnal critters as if played melodious instruments of the night. How tranquil. _Yeah, it'll be better this way _― she assured herself, patiently waiting for the bullet to be shot on her forehead.

The situation was so quiet for a moment. She could even clearly hear her heavy breath. Three... two... one―

"STOP IT!"

She was startled and immediately opened her eyes unbelievably. A guy with blue jacket standing only two meters away from her, very bravely. That face was so not uncommon. That was the face who always gave the reason for her to stay alive.

"Ku―Ku―Kudou-kun?"

She was agape in disbelief, having no idea what should she feel. Shinichi Kudou really came eventually to save her for the numerous times. Fear and relieve emerged at the very same time. She was undoubtedly happy for his coming, but she knew the unarmed Shinichi would never win against this fully-skilled sniper.

"Why are you here?"

She asked perplexedly but there was no telling from him. Instead, he put off his jacket and took off his white uniform skirt as well then tore it recklessly. He gently bended her wound in order to stop the bleeding.

"Just who the hell in the world are you?" Gin flashily changed his shooting target, he pointed out the gun on Shinichi.

"You don't remember me, huh? After all those years, you and your freakin' organization successfully ruined people's life."

Shinichi looked at him so intensely and smiled threateningly. Cold wind blew and stroked their hairs as if increasing the tense highly.

"Sorry but I prefer not to flood my memory with such useless thing like remembering someone who was once becoming my victim," he said conceitedly. "But wait... I think I saw you somewhere..."

Shinichi stared at him with full of hatred. "Yeah, I'm Kudou Shinichi, a detective from that time who was poisoned by you with the drug she made, Apotoxin 4869."

"Ah, I see." He said like he remembered of something. "It's kinda surprising how you managed to be alive after drinking that, but it looks like some of my colleagues have hidden this important fact."

"Then, you must be the one who protects this traitor in your embrace, aren't you?" he pointed the gun closer.

"I don't know the truth but it seems she's more than a traitor to you. You always after her eagerly more than anyone else and want her death so bad."

"That has nothing to do with you!"

Gin nestled the gun even close to him and barely no distance at all. But Shinichi did not look any fear at all. Haibara wanted to prevent him shooting but suddenly she obscurely saw someone's shadow behind the shrub, about twenty meters away from where they were. She squinted her eyes and found that certain someone, who seemed to be a guy, pointed out his riffle straight to Shinichi's back head.

She was startled and had no time to guess who was that certain someone who wanted to kill Shinichi because it looked like he pulled the trigger already.

_ This is bad!_― Painstakingly ignored her painful wound, she woke up and covered Shinichi's head from behind with her body. Not until a second later, she crumbled down on Shinichi's back powerlessly. The bullet struck and penetrate her body, fresh blood reddened her yellow sweater and Shinichi's white shirt as well.

"HAIBARAAAA-"

In the vagueness she saw him yelling out loud and laying her on his lap. He shook her body unbelievably.

"HANG ON, HAIBARA!" he panickedly shook her body in order to keep her consciousness.

She should be no longer able to speak even a word. That bullet was really straight to her vital part of the body. But she tried to take a breath heavily and put all attempts to say something to him.

"It... looks... like... my... debts... have... all... paid― _cough cough cough._.."

She coughed badly. Not until a minute ahead, she slowly lost consciousness and was not able to keep opening her eyes any longer. Everything turned out to dark afterward.

* * *

><p><em><strong>The next chapter will be from Shinichi's POV! Please bear with my confusing plot :P<strong>_


	5. Wishful Recovery

_**Haibara got shot, she is under surgery now. How does Shinichi feel when looking her injured badly just to protect him? Enjoy the fifth chapter! ^^**_

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER 5<strong>

**Shinichi's POV**

**Wishful Recovery**

Shinichi sat anxiously on the seat at the waiting room in Hakone Central Hospital, looking repeatedly at the electronic board hang on above the emergency room which was written 'Under Surgery'. He clenched his fists tightly while leaning his back off. What had happened three hours ago still brought him in a big shock, Haibara had protected him from the gunshot and now she was badly injured and had to strive for her life in that Intensive Care Unit.

"Stupid!" he cursed himself. "Why, Haibara? Why?"

He closed his eyes. The memory of what had happened hours ago played in his mind even he did not want to reminisce it.

**===()()()===**

_**Three hours ago...**_

"That has nothing to do with you!"

Gin shouted and moved his gun even closer to Shinichi's forehead, ready to pull the trigger.

"I'm gonna kill you first and let that fool traitor to see your death just so she know how does it feel to be betrayed," Gin smiled hideously with any mercy at all.

Shinichi kept his head cool. He definitely knew, nothing he could do to face this cold-blooded sniper without any weapon in hand. If only he still had any 'magic' devices from Professor Agasa, they might be helpful. But he had all returned since he back to original body.

He thought some ideas to get deal with this situation. But his opponent now was way too dangerous than any bad guys he'd ever faced. _Damn, what should I―_

BROOOK.

In the confusion and anxiety, he felt someone embraced his back head and then fell down on his back. He was surprised and immediately threw a look to know what was happening actually. It was Haibara who suddenly embraced him.

"M-m-move a-a-side..." she whispered very slowly and powerlessly on his ears.

"Oy, what are you do_―"_

He could not continue his words because soon as he turned his back on her, she fell down to the ground helplessly with blood covered in her yellow sweater here and everywhere. He was agape and barely believed to what he saw just now.

"HA-HA-HAIBARAAAAAA-"

He shouted loudly and immediately put her on his lap, trying hard to make sure that it was not real. But unfortunately it was.

"HANG ON, HAIBARA!"

He panickedly shook her body and patted her cheeks in order to keep her consciousness but it looked like she could barely breathe normally but still tried to move her lips to say something.

"It... looks... like... my... debts... have... all... paid― _cough cough cough_..."

"Hold on... please..."

His head was suddenly empty. He had no idea what to do with Haibara was badly injured and he himself was unarmed. A sound of clapping hands suddenly be heard.

"Very good job, but you missed your target."

Gin smiled to a guy wearing black cloak who suddenly appeared from nowhere. That guy, with riffle in hand, smiled wickedly to Shinichi who glared back at him.

"My deep apologize, Sir, for killing your precious someone..." he knelt down to Gin with guilty, "I never supposed she would sacrifice herself to protect this conceited detective."

"It's alright. She was no longer my precious, even it would be more interesting if I could kill her with my own hand."

"DON'T MESS WITH ME!"

Shinichi yelled. He felt so angry. Blood flowed to his head and flashily came up with his mind to get rid of those jerks mercilessly. He presumed, that guy who shot Haibara was another fleeing member of the organization. But he never saw his face before. All he could sense, that guy was more dangerous than Gin himself.

Gin, again, put his gun on him after putting it aside due to sudden disturbance from Haibara. "Now, it's your turn to die..."

At wit's end. He had no better idea in such situation. He could not think clearly with injured Haibara on his lap and two guys pointed guns toward him, because a single move might cause the bleeding even worse. _Should I die at this point?_

PSIUUUUWWW. PSIIIIUUUWWW.

A silencer suddenly shot and hit Gin's left ankle who was covered in black shoe and another silencer struck on his mate's right cheek. Jodie-sensei, Agent Camel, and another three FBI came with gun ready in their each hand.

"Sorry, we're late, Kudou-kun." Jodie asked for apology but she goggled in no time when seeing Haibara. "She is injured? Get her to the car!"

Two more FBI men with white cloaks came and brought a medical stretcher. It looked like one of those FBI who came earlier told those two to come along. Shinichi carefully laid her down on it and followed them to the car which was about thirty meters away from the battlefield.

"She gets shot on the back..." Shinichi pleaded helplessly. "Please save her..."

"We'll do the best." One of two rescuing team was about to close the door of the car, but he asked Shinichi beforehand. "You aren't coming with us?"

Shinichi was silent. He could not just leave Haibara in that circumstance, yet he did not want to miss his reunion with Gin, the person whom he hated the most, after his waiting for so many years. He wanted to take part in the battle with FBI on his side.

"I'm not. I will come later," he gripped Haibara's palm and whispered on her ears, "Be safe, Haibara. For your parents' shake, your sister, your friends, and... for me."

All he could see now was an unconscious Haibara breathing hardly through an oxygen device, struggling deadly for her life. Her face was pale and her palm had no strength at all. Shinichi released her hand and let those rescuing team closed the car's door to bring her to the hospital.

Gunshots again and again were heard. Shinichi ran closer to get to know what was happening. About ten meters away, he stopped and looked at Jodie was on the ground, sitting painfully while holding her left arm. Another two FBI were injured as well as Gin's mate. He was shocked and wanted to enter the battlefield immediately but someone prevented him by putting the palm on his right shoulder. He turned his back to saw that someone.

"Akai-san?"

A guy with black cap and obvious eye bags stood in front of him smilingly cold, bringing the riffle on his left hand.

"You'll only get yourself killed if you enter the battle unarmed," he warned sharply. "Leave the rest to us."

"But_―_"

"You want to make her sacrifice meaningless, huh?"

The scene where Haibara was protecting him from the gunshot played on his mind very painfully.

"Leave this place and go to see her!"

Shinichi was silent. Akai was right, how could he possibly be so self-centered while Haibara already sacrificed her life for him? But it was the moment he longed for so long. He should not miss it.

"I won't."

He was ready to leave Akai stubbornly to join the battle. But... BUGGGG_― _Akai punched his strongly to realize him from the reverie.

"She suffered so many times in her life. Organization took everything from her," Akai said carefully but sharply. "She barely could smile ever since her sister's death..."

Shinichi was silent, listening to what Akai said while holding his bruise which suddenly felt so painful even after Akai told those words.

"She used to live in fear, desperation, and darkness until she met you." Akai said, still in flat expression. "Maybe you're the one who makes her feel alive."

He was taken aback, clenching his grip unbelievably. _Is that so? Is it that much I mean to her? _He remembered the last first time she became a new student at his school with so many questions about her real identity. Remembered when she cried loudly on his chest after the case involving the death of her sister's tutor, Masashi Hirota. And remembered when she fell down to his back to protect him while ago.

Shinichi would not question Akai why he knew those sort of things about Haibara. Shuuichi Akai probably always kept an eye on her from afar since the first time he entered the organization and met her sister – who was also his former girlfriend – until now.

"Keep an eye on her for me." Akai made a request. "Please."

It looked like he had no other choice. He threw a glance at the battle once again, but Akai impeded him.

"Believe in us." Akai smiled convincingly while putting his two hands on Shinichi's shoulders.

**===()()()===**

"Shinichi, Shinichi..."

Shinichi heard a voice calling out his name obscurely. Ran was there in a face of anxiety. Sera, Sonoko, and Professor Agasa were there as well.

"Ran?"

"What has happened Shinichi? What has happened? What happens with Shiho-chan?" Ran asked impatiently but anxious. Her expression suddenly changed drastically to fear. "Are you injured?"

She probably was shocked when looking his white shirt turned out to blood color. "Why don't they treat your wound?"

Shinichi did not say any single word but looking at her perplexedly. She pulled his arm in panic. "You should be medicated!"

"Hey, Ran, wait..."

"What? Don't you see that you wound badly?" Ran yelled anxiously.

"That's why, listen!" Shinichi said, tried to calm her down then asked her to sit. "It's not my blood. It's hers."

"Shiho-chan's?" Ran, Sonoko, and Sera was surprised.

"Where is she now?" Sera asked anxiously and threw a glance at the Intensive Care Unit in front of her. "Don't tell me she's inside that room..."

"Yeah..." he said feebly.

"What happens, Shinichi? What happens, Hakase? What happens to Shiho-chan?" Ran persuaded them to explain the situation. She was looking at them one after another. "Didn't she go to New York? Why things turn out like this?"

Shinichi put his clench on his palm, closing his eyes heavily. He was not in the mood to retell everyone that unpleasant moment. "How did you know that I'm here on the first place?"

"Agasa-hakase told me something happened to you and Shiho-chan..." Ran started to sob. "I was so confused at first by what he meant despite the fact that it was Professor who informed her to go to New York all of sudden..."

Sonoko caressed Ran's shoulder gently to comfort her while Sera patiently waited him to tell more about the matters.

"I was so worried about Shiho-chan's sudden departure... but I was worried even more when you left as well..." tears fell down from her eyes and rolled through her cheeks.

"Ran..." he could not say any longer word. Taking a breath deeply, then exhaling it strongly.

"That's why... please tell us what has happened..." Ran pleaded.

If he told them now, that meant he should reveal Haibara's identity and even himself. Furthermore, would they even believe him? It seemed too illogical to have people got shrunken.

"She got shot." he said shortly, not intended to explain more.

"Shot? What?" Ran, Sonoko, and Sera asked in shock and likely hardly even believed to what they heard.

"Who shot her? Why?" Ran asked very curiously.

Shinichi exhaled heavily and said, "I will tell you the details later. But would you please let me cool my head down for a while?"

"_Anone_... what's with those behaviors? Ran is really worried about you, you know? Not to mention that we also worry about Shiho-chan!" Sonoko scorned him impatiently. "Why can't you tell me a little part of it?"

Shinichi answered with a sigh. He was not in the mood for arguing nor explaining anything now.

"It's okay, Sonoko." Ran smiled, but it looked like she did it forcefully. "Take your time, Shinichi. But at least change your clothes on the first place."

Ran gave his bag to him. He received it then immediately thanked her.. "Thanks_―"_

He cut off his words when seeing a doctor out from the surgery room where Haibara was. He hastily ran to them with Ran and the others following.

"How's she?" he asked anxiously impatient.

"Gratefully, the surgery done successfully. The bullet nested in her chest has been put out. She's still unconscious now but will be alright in few hours ahead."

The doctor wiped up the sweats on his cheeks after taking off his surgical gloves. It looked like the surgery was exhausting him badly.

There was nothing else he wanted to hear the most but this good news. He took a breath deeply then exhaled strongly, putting all the anxieties inside.

"Yokatta..." Ran sighed in relieve.

"Thanks goodness." Sera and Sonoko implied.

"So grateful..." Professor Agasa exhaled gratefully. He was the one who did not talk much. It probably because he was hyperworried of Haibara's condition. However, he already regarded her as his daughter.

"May we pay a call on her?" Ran asked the doctor.

"You may of course, after she's conscious." The doctor smiled. "We'll bring her to the patient room."

"Thank you for the hard work, Doctor."

Ran and the others bowed a bit deeply while the doctor was away after gave a deep bow as a response. Shinichi back to his seat and leaned his head on it.

"You should have a rest, Shinichi. You look so tired." Ran came over and sat beside him.

"Yeah, I guess."

"We'll inform you soon as Shiho-chan gets conscious." Sera added smilingly.

"Don't forget to change your clothes!" Sonoko reminded.

"Yeah, yeah."

**===()()()===**

Hunger woke him up from his doze. Shinichi glanced at his watch and unbelieved that it had been three in the morning. Ran, Sonoko, and Sera were sleeping on the seat in front of him while Professor Agasa was right beside him, snoring. He covered Ran and the others with blanket that previously covered him.

Shinichi walked slowly through the dark corridor, looking something like canteen which sold some edible food. Fortunately, there was a fast food restaurant which opened 24 hours. Without a second thought he hurriedly entered that restaurant and ordered a beef burger.

He sat on the corner of the restaurant. It was so quite here with only three guests according himself. Shinichi ate that beef burger carefully and slurped cola through the straw. He exhaled an air from the lungs strongly. All the burden and fear were finally disappeared as he heard a very relieving news about Haibara.

RING RING RING

A phone call realized him from the reverie. It was Ran who called. He picked it up and talked with half-full mouth. "Moshi-moshi, Ran?"

"Shinichi! Where are you?" said the voice out there.

"I'm at fast food restaurant nearby. What's up?"

"Shiho-chan is conscious!"

He abruptly felt so excited and enthusiastic. "I'll be there now!"

Without a second thought he hurriedly paid the bill and ran through the hospital's corridor headed to where the others were.

"Where's the others?" he asked to Ran while half-running towards Haibara's room. Ran tried to balance her steps with him.

"They're already there. Shiho-chan is at room 201 at second floor."

Shinichi walked briskly upstairs with Ran following him from behind. It wasn't so hard to find Haibara's room since she was at the first room of the second floor.

Room 201. Shinichi opened the door knob and found Sera, Sonoko, and Professor Agasa beside the sitting Haibara who was in white pajamas with pale face. She smirked slightly when he entered the room.

"Shiho-chan... yokatta..." Ran hastily ran to her and hugged. "Why did you turn out like this? Didn't you say that you would go back to New York?"

"Something happened suddenly, but everything is alright now." She said softly but smiling. "Sorry for making you all worry."

Ran was sobbing but Haibara only smiled calmly. Shinichi stood motionlessly on his place, feeling so relieve yet angry at the same time. He was angry to himself, wasn't he supposed to protect her? But why he let her protecting him instead?

"Shinichi?" Ran's call was surprising him. "Why do you stay there?"

"Ah..."

He answered unclear. Clenching his fist tightly, he went towards her. Anger, anxiety, and another unpleasant feeling busted on his heart. What should he say to this woman?

"STUPID!" he shouted to her angrily, but he was indeed super anxious. "WHAT DID YOU THINK BACK THEN, HUH?"

Haibara startled to his sudden anger. "Kudou-kun?"

"Shinichi! Why did you shout at her?" Ran scorned. She seemed to be surprise with his sudden attitude. "Calm down, it's hospital."

He did not answer but moved near Haibara. Ran stepped aside a little and gave an empty space to him. "Were you really going to die, huh?"

"Shinichi..." Ran calmed his down but to no avail since he did not listen to her at all.

"I guess..." Haibara said helplessly. "I thought it wouldn't be so bad to die."

"You...!" he was ready to hit her but he clenched his fist again and surprisingly embraced her. He sighed in relieve a lot. "Y_okatta_ _na_..."

He knew his sudden attitude towards Haibara would emerge more questions from Ran and the others who probably glared at him from behind startlingly. But this was the only thing that came up with his mind after seeing her saved.

"W-what are you doing?" Haibara whispered. "Your girlfriend and the others stare at us, idiot!"

"Thanks..." yeah, that's the only word he wanted to say the most.

She seemed to try to throw off from his embrace, but finally she immersed herself on him instead. "I think I owe you no more now."

"Shi... ni... chi..."

Ran's mumble realized him. He immediately released her and turned his back to the others who saw at him shockingly. He wasn't sure himself but he saw her eyes were filled with tears.

"Ran, I'm..."

He tried to clarify the situation, but Sonoko pulled his arm and stepped outside the room. "Can you explain about that, Shinichi-kun?"

"_Mou ii_, Sonoko." Ran suddenly came.

It was painful to see her tears. That's just made him feeling so guilty even more. "Ran..."

"Tell me, Shinichi..." Ran started to cry. "Tell me what was actually happened!"

He was silent. As he already thought, she misunderstood everything. "That's not what you think, Ran."

"She isn't just your friend, right?" tears still fell down from her eyes. "You two share something explicable that no one can understand that feeling..."

_ You got me wrong, Ran. She's just a drug maker and I'm a victim of her drug. She's the one whom I should protect but I almost let her kill herself instead. She's just someone who strangely came into my life. She isn't like you whom I used to share everything. She isn't like you whom I know the most. She isn't like you whom I love. _Those words lodged in his throat. He barely could say any single piece of them and remained in silent.

"Please, say a word, Shinichi..."

He could no longer stand with her tears. It looked like he should reveal everything now. _Well, those bad guys are no longer exist, aren't they? I think it's the right time to tell the truth to everyone, especially to her._

"Shinichi-kun, it looks like Shiho-chan wants to explain something." Sera appeared from the inside. Without any single command, Shinichi along with Ran and Sonoko came into the room where Haibara and Professor Agasa were.

_ Haibara probably wants to tell the same thing as I am ― _he thought. And his thought seemed to be true since Haibara set a serious face soon as they entered the room. He stared at her, tried to figure out what she's about to say. The rests but Professor Agasa looked intensely at them with such confusing expression.

"Mouri-san, if you suspect there is something between me and Kudou-kun, that is true." She started the conversation. Her voice was still weak, not to mention she said those words painstakingly. "But, that's not sort of 'romantic' relationship as you may think_― cough cough."_

"_Mou ii,_ Haibara. You don't need to force yourself. Let me explain."

"Haibara...?" Ran caught his misused word. "What do you mean...?"

He slipped his words on calling Haibara and that's surely making them perplexed even more. Shinichi scratched his head then took a breath deeply.

"Well... Miyano Shiho in front of us is actually..."

**===()()()===**

_**One week later...**_

"_Shinjirarenai_! I still couldn't believe my ear after hearing that you're actually Conan-kun and Shiho-chan is Ai-chan. How could humans possibly be sunken to their child forms?"

Ran said, still in disbelief about the truth she heard few days ago. Shinichi only listened to him without any response when eating his french fries. They now were sitting on a wooden bench at Tropical Land, in front of the giant roller coaster. The screaming sounds of people rid that amusement ride were deafeningly heard.

"Why didn't you tell the truth earlier, Shinichi?"

"Ah, about that..." he still excitedly snacked that savory snack. "I think it's better to keep them secretly."

Ran took a bar of french fries from him then ate it. "But... I never thought that both of you were in extreme danger."

"Yeah... we unwanted to involve people surround us from that danger, so we stayed silent..." he sighed.

"_Yappari_..." she sighed as well. "I was always being so curious that Conan-kun was actually you. But you successfully tricked me over and over again."

"_Shou ga nai, darou_?" he protested with mouth full of french fries.

"If I were Shiho-chan... I didn't know whether I could survive or not." she continued. "Leaving in fear for most of her life and have to be ready to die anytime..."

"Hmm..." he murmured. "I have promised that I would protect her at any cost. But things went in reverse that time..."

She was silent and seemed to think about something. "Perhaps... Shiho regards you as an important someone for her."

"Huh?" he almost choked. "I think she just tried to pay her paid debt. How idiotic. I don't think she should go that far."

"As expected from a guy which always clueless to this sort of thing." Ran quipped him cluelessly. "Hey, that's ice cream stands, isn't? Let's go there, Shinichi!"

"Would you get me some?" he grinned.

"_Mattaku_..." she sighed. "Okay, stay here. Don't go anywhere or..."

She's ready with her punch and made Shinichi obeyed what she wanted. "Okay, mam."

As Ran left, he was deep in thought. How's the continuation of the battle between Gin and FBI? How's Akai-san managed to conquer that cold-blooded killer? He barely got any information since his returning from Hakone a week ago. He put out his phone from the pocket and pressed certain number but...

"Cool Kid!"

He was surprised with that voice that he wanted to hear the most. "Jodie-sensei and Akai-san?"

Jodie and Akai was standing right before him. It looked like they were on date as well. Jodie wore purple mini skirt with casual cardigan while Akai was in his usual style, black hat in his head and dark blue jacket.

"Are you dating with Ran?" she teased laughingly.

"Ah, nope, nope. On top of that, I was about to call you seconds ago, Jodie-sensei."

"Really? What a coincidence!" she said cheerfully and sat beside him.

Shinichi saw her bended ankle. "Have you recovered, Jodie-sensei?"

"Of course! How's that brown haired girl? I must come a visit sooner."

"She's alright now even badly injured back then." he explained. "So, how's Gin, Akai-san?"

"We successfully got rid of him and his colleague." Akai smiled meaningfully. "But... regretfully I should kill him because he took Jodie as a hostage."

Shinichi was kind of surprised, but that's an avoidable condition. Akai-san must have considered about this thoughtfully. Kill the enemy or got the colleague killed.

"And his fellow?" he suddenly remembered of something. "_Naruhodo_... so he is the real Bourbon, isn't he?

"As sharp as usual. Yeah, he is. You know? He's really a skillful sniper. We're overwhelmed when facing him."

He's been brought to the HQ with some injuries on his body and safely jailed now." Jodie answered. "_Yokatta na_, it's all ended happily..."

"Yeah."

Shinichi smiled in relieved, but something emerged on his mind, how would Haibara react after hearing Gin was dead? He unintentionally eavesdropped their conversation obscurely about their relationship in the past.

"Tell her about this." Akai requested. What he meant was Haibara.

"Of course." he smiled. "There's no reason for her to live in fear, no more."

"But, one thing I still barely believe is Akai-kun here." Jodie interrupted by changing topic. "Who would've thought that Okiya Subaru-san was Akai-kun in disguise? _Mattaku_..."

"I did notice." Shinichi grinned. "That's way I lend him my house unconditionally despite the fact that he was a stranger."

"Geez... you two hid everything from FBI again..." she was peevish and sulked.

"That can't be helped since we should act perfectly to mislead them." Akai smiled brightly but still kept his coolness.

"I thought that Okiya Subaru man was the real Bourbon_―_" Jodie cut her words when seeing Ran was coming to us. "Ran!"

"Jodie-sensei?" Ran responded surprisingly but happy while bringing two cones of ice cream with her two hands. When seeing Akai, she smiled and bowed politely. "_Konnichiwa_."

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><p><strong><em>Finally! The next is the last chapter! Getting bored already? Lol. Want to know how the story will end? Check it out! ^^<em>**


	6. Sayonara

_**Yatta! This is the last chapter! What's Haibara gonna do after the decease of Gin? Find out! ^^**_

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 6<strong>

**Haibara's POV**

**Sayonara**

_**Two months later...**_

"Is it okay, Ai-kun, to leave Shinichi-kun knows nothing about this?"

Professor Agasa helped her bringing the luggage and it on the floor while they were sitting nearby. Haibara only answered with a slight nod. She was busy with slurping her chocolate ice.

They were now at Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture. Haibara had taken a decision to leave this country that left many memories in her head. She was about to go to her hometown in London, capital city of United Kingdom after finding out the truth that she still had a family there, which was her mother's sister.

"It has nothing to do with him after all." she said nonchalantly, responding previous Professor Agasa's question. "Like he would chase me or prevent me from leaving."

"But still, you have to tell him." Professor persuaded her intensely.

"Hmm..." she sighed. "Our business is done. I've paid all my debts and he doesn't need to protect me anymore since Gin was deceased."

"I see. So that's what you think about me, huh?"

Haibara was surprised when seeing Shinichi suddenly appeared in front of her, with painting breath. But she immediately hid her startling expression and kept her emotionless face again. "What are you doing here?"

"Wasn't me the one who supposed to ask?"

"How did you know...?"

"You belittled a great detective like me." He mocked. "I found the ticket with London destination when I dropped by Hakase's house few days ago. It's impossible for him to go there without told me anything unless you were the one who would. What makes you turn into this sudden decision?"

She must have thought about this before, Shinichi was not such a gullible human being. "Nothing. It just came up with my mind all of sudden. Besides, I don't find Japan interest me, no more."

"_Taku_... but at least you could compromise with me beforehand..." he was annoyed.

"_Ano_... I will go to the rest room..."

Professor Agasa excused. It looked like he wanted let those two having more comfortable conversation without him listening.

Haibara stood from her seat. "So, what would you do if I told you earlier? You're not going to impede me, were you?"

"Like I could." he mumbled. "So, why do you leave Japan?"

"Nothing in particular. I just want to forget unpleasant memories of Japan." she hated reminiscing about her past, but she should do it. "The deceased of my parents and my sister, that disgusting black organization, unpleasant memory of Gin, and... _about you_."

"Huh? Me?"

She smiled mockingly, swallowing her saliva inside. "What would you do if you love someone who loves someone else and you should see them happily together everyday? How would you feel?"

His face turned to surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Don't you get it?" she increased a tone. "I unintentionally have fallen for you!"

Her words obviously made him in a big shock. He was agape in disbelief. "Ha_―_Haibara..."

"It's painful... why should I love someone whom I shouldn't? It feels like waiting for the rain in the long drought..."

She turned her back away from him, closing her eyes slowly and smiling.

"Haibara..."

Haibara felt his hand was on her shoulder. She immediately turned her back again to him and smiled, "Kidding."

"HAAA_―?"_

"Even a great detective like you never fails to fall on my elementary trap."

She laughed happily, leaving the sullen expression of Shinichi. It was not the first time she did it to him, but surprisingly he always fell on her guile despite his great intelligence of deducing difficult cases.

"_Mattaku_..." he was really annoyed. "

"The flight number 712 destination Japan – London is about to take off in thirty minutes. Dear passengers who aren't in plane yet, please have your seat."

"Ai-kun, your plane!" Professor came back from toilet.

"Yeah." She smiled and brought her luggage. "Sayonara, Hakase."

Professor Agasa hugged her and cried the tears. "I'll be missing you, Ai-kun. Have a safe trip."

"Don't you dare to eat some cholesterol food." She threatened. "Bye, Hakase, I'll be missing you too."

"Ai-kun..." he cried slightly and then released his embrace.

"Sayonara, Kudou-kun." She smiled. Without any embrace or something, she turned his back away and ready to leave.

"_Matte_!" he suddenly pulled her arm that made her in surprise.

"What? You want me to hug you as well?" she smirked mockingly.

"_Anona..._" he grumbled unclear and put out something that looked like a letter from his pocket. "Here, from Jodie-sensei."

"Jodie-sensei?" She received it. "Thanks."

"Take care and good luck, Haibara."

"Thanks. And thanks for everything." She smiled happily. Taking a deep breath, she got near his ear and whispered, "What I said before about my feeling for you is actually the fact."

"HAAA_―_?"

"Kidding." She laughed and flashily kissed his left cheek that made him, again and again, getting so shocked. "_Sayonara_."

Without turning her back again to him nor professor, she passed the security check and smiled. After entering the plane, she sat at her seat and took that letter from her pocket. She read it carefully.

_To: Brown haired girl_

_Shiho-chan! _S_eriously I just knew your original name hours ahead. Have a safe trip and take care. I wish you will come a visit to Japan regularly. I was kind of surprised when hearing from Cool Kid about your sudden departure. But anyway, enjoy your life from now on. There will be no such thing like black organization and the likes. We, FBI, will always keep an eye for you from afar. See ya later!_

_PS: Ah, I almost forget. Best regards from Akai-kun to you. _

_Jodie Starling_

She smiled. The warmth feeling slowly penetrated her heart. Plane started to take off. She kept in her mind everything she had, did, and spent in Japan. Those were too precious to forget. _Sayonara, Japan. Sayonara, Kudou-kun..._

**THE END**

**===()()()===**

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><p><strong>That's all! So, how? Is it better or even worse than my two previous stories? Haha. Anyway, thanks for reading and feel free to leave the constructed critics and review. <em>Ja ne<em>~!**


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